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Thursday, April 25, 2024
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Maritime Trade News

24 Apr 2024

Merchant Ship, Crew Reported Safe After Incident off Djibouti

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The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Wednesday that a merchant vessel and its crew were reported safe after an incident 72 nautical miles east southeast off the port of Djibouti.UKMTO said in an updated advisory note that the master of the vessel had reported an explosion in the water a distance from the vessel."Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity," the note said.Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea region since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians fight

19 Apr 2024

Ships Urged to Stay Vigilant in Gulf, Western Indian Ocean

© Soloviova Liudmyla / Adobe Stock

British security firm Ambrey said on Friday merchant vessels transiting the Gulf and Western Indian Ocean were advised to stay alert in case of increased uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) activity in the region.Ambrey said it had received information that indicated an "Israeli military strike" was conducted on Isfahan, Iran.Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said it had seen similar reports but that there were no indications commercial maritime vessels…

17 Apr 2024

WSC Appoints Joe Kramek as New President and CEO

Joe Kramek courtesy of WSC.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) has appointed Joe Kramek as its new President and CEO, to succeed John Butler upon his retirement at the end of July.Kramek brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role, from both the maritime sector and government service. He has already served as the WSC's Director of U.S. Government Relations.His professional journey includes 28 years as a commissioned officer with the U.S. Coast Guard where he spent time at sea and as the Chief of Maritime, International, and Environmental Law. Notably, Kramek led the U.S.

17 Apr 2024

Maritime Risk Symposium 2024 – Great Power Competition and Gray Zone Engagement

Copyright Grispb/AdobeStock

For 15 years the Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS), an annual three-day event, has brought together government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, international and domestic researchers and solution providers to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security. World events highlight that maritime security is increasingly at risk during the current period of great-power competition and ongoing conflicts. The active competition between nations who are not…

15 Apr 2024

IMO's Facilitation Committee Revised MASS Roadmap

Source: IMO

The IMO's Facilitation Committee held its 48th session (FAL 48) from April 8 to 12, in person at IMO Headquarters in London.The Facilitation Committee (FAL) meets annually to deal with matters related to the facilitation of international maritime traffic, including the arrival, stay and departure of ships, persons and cargo from ports. The Committee also addresses electronic business and aims to ensure that the right balance is struck between regulation and the facilitation of international maritime trade.

10 Apr 2024

Red Sea Crisis Forces Operators to Use More Containerships, Adding to Emission Concerns

© eyewave / Adobe Stock

The shipping industry's pledge to limit its carbon footprint may suffer a setback as the current Red Sea crisis prompts it to use more vessels and take longer routes to ensure the smooth sailing of global maritime trade.Iranian-backed Houthi militants' attacks on vessels passing through the southern Red Sea have choked trade through the Suez Canal, driving many container shipping companies to add 10-14 days to the voyages between Asia and Europe and add more vessels.The disruption…

07 Apr 2024

Houthis Say They Targeted Western Ships

Source: CENTCOM

Houthi forces in Yemen said on Sunday they had launched rockets and drones at British, U.S. and Israeli ships, the latest in a campaign of attacks on shipping in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war.The Iran-aligned group said it had targeted a British ship and a number of U.S. frigates in the Red Sea, while in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean it had attacked two Israeli vessels heading to Israeli ports.The operations took place during the last 72 hours, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised statement…

01 Apr 2024

UKMTO Reports Suspicious Encounter off Yemen

© Alex / Adobe Stock

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Monday it received a report of an incident 150 nautical miles northwest of Yemen's Hodeidah."The Master of the vessel reported that they were hailed by an entity claiming to be Yemini Navy who requested the vessel turn on its automatic identification system," an advisory note said."Shortly after the hailing, a crew member of the vessel reported that they heard suspected gun shots," the advisory note added.Months of Red Sea attacks by Yemen's Houthi militants have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer a

01 Apr 2024

Techcross to Launch New Products at Sea Japan

(Photo: Techcross)

Ballast water management systems (BWMS) manufacturer Techcross said it plans to roll out a variety of eco-friendly shipbuilding equipment lineups in addition to the existing BWMS at the Sea Japan 2024 maritime trade show."The optimal solutions provided, based on extensive engineering and installation experience, are expected to not only reduce costs for customers but also contribute to the protection of the Earth’s environment," the South Korean-based company said.Techcross said it will also officially begin sales of HYCHLOR 2.0, a non-filter type indirect electrolysis BWMS that received U.S.

22 Mar 2024

Maersk Will Avoid Red Sea Despite EU Security Operation

© aerial-drone / Adobe Stock

Shipping company Maersk said on Friday it was too early to resume sailings through the Red Sea due to a continued elevated risk level, despite an initiative by the European Union to increase safety in the region.Maersk, one of the world's biggest container shipping companies, suspended Red Sea traffic on Jan.

22 Mar 2024

St. Lawrence Seaway Opens Navigation Season

© Ravi / Adobe Stock

The St. Lawrence Seaway opened its 66th season of operation today with an official ceremony in Niagara Region.Terence Bowles, President and CEO of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) was joined by U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Development Corporation Administrator Adam Tindall-Schlicht in welcoming the many who came out for the event, including M.P. Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Canadian Minister of Transport.“We are thrilled to have a renewed Management Operations and Maintenance Agreement with the Government of Canada.

22 Mar 2024

EU Naval Mission in Red Sea Destroys Missiles, Houthi Seaborne Drone

(Photo: European Union)

The EU's naval mission in the southern Red Sea said on Thursday it had destroyed three ballistic missiles and a Houthi seaborne drone to protect merchant ships.The EU's mission, known as Aspides, said on social media platform X that a French worship had destroyed the ballistic missiles and a German destroyed the drone, operated by the Iran-aligned Houthis and spotted near commercial vessels.Aspides was launched in February to help protect the key maritime trade route from drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia, who say they are retaliating against Israel's war on Gaza.

17 Mar 2024

Explosion Reported Near Ship Off Yemen Coast

Map courtesy JMIC

The captain of a merchant ship east of Yemen's Aden has reported an explosion near the ship, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said early on Sunday."No damage to the vessel has been reported and the crew are reported safe. The vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," UKMTO said in an advisory note.The ship was 85 nautical miles (157 km, 98 miles) east of Aden, in an area where Houthi militant groups often target ships they say are linked to Israel or the United States.Months of Red Sea attacks by Yemen's Houthi militants have disrupted global shipping…

15 Mar 2024

Merchant Vessel West of Yemen's Hodeidah Not Hit by Missile as Earlier Reported

© Sergey Fedoskin / Adobe Stock

A daylight inspection showed that a merchant vessel was not hit or damaged in the Red Sea off Yemen's Hodeidah after initial reports it was struck by a missile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and British security firm Ambrey said on Friday.Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the region since mid-November in professed solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's war in Gaza.Their Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping…

15 Mar 2024

Vessel Struck by Missile West of Yemen's Hodeidah

© mino21 / Adobe Stock

A merchant vessel reported it had been hit by a missile and sustained damage 76 nautical miles west of Yemen's Hodeidah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the British security firm Ambrey said on Friday."The vessel has sustained some damage. The crew are reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," the UKMTO said in an advisory note.Ambrey also reported that the ship suffered damage and that there were no injuries.UKMTO said another ship…

14 Mar 2024

Missiles Fly Over Ship near Yemen's al Hudaydah

© lesniewski / Adobe Stock

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organisation said early on Friday that it had received a report that missiles passed near a ship 50 nautical miles (93 km) southwest of al Hudaydah, Yemen."The Master reported two missiles flying over the vessel and heard two loud blasts in the distance," the UKMTO said in an advisory note, referring to the person in command of the ship.It added that the vessel reported no damage and that the crew are reported safe."The vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.

12 Mar 2024

Armed Pirates Board Cargo Ship Off Somalia

© Venera / Adobe Stock

Twenty armed people have boarded a cargo ship off the coast of Somalia and have taken control of it, a maritime security firm said on Tuesday.The vessel is the latest to be targeted following a resurgence of attacks by Somali pirates in recent months although the maritime security firm, Ambrey, did not specify that it was Somali pirates who boarded the ship.Ambrey said the ship was a Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier - a type of merchant ship used to transport large amounts of cargo…

11 Mar 2024

Missile-Related Incident Reported Off Yemen's Hodeidah

© Yellow Boat / Adobe Stock

A missile-related incident has been reported west of Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Monday.Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said it had received a report of a sound of an explosion in the vicinity of a vessel 71 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's port of Saleef.The vessel and crew were safe, UKMTO added.Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during Israel's war with Hamas in Ga

06 Mar 2024

Bulk Carrier Hit by Missile Off Yemen, Sailors Missing or Wounded

© Eugene / Adobe Stock

The Greek-owned cargo ship True Confidence was hit by a missile about 50 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Aden on Wednesday in an attack presumed to come from Houthi forces, the ship's owner and operator said.The bulk carrier was drifting with a fire continuing onboard, their statement said, adding that no information was available on the status of 20 crew members and three armed guards onboard.But a shipping source said three sailors were missing from the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier and four others were badly burned.There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

08 Mar 2024

Vessel Off Yemen Reports Explosions in Sea, Vessel and Crew Safe

(Image: UKMTO)

A vessel travelling 50 nautical miles southeast of Yemen's city of Aden reported on Friday two explosions in the sea ahead of it, but the vessel and crew were reported as safe, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group has launched drone and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden since November.

06 Mar 2024

Explosion Reported Near US-Owned Cargo Ship Off Yemen

© Kalyakan / Adobe Stock

An explosion in the vicinity of a Barbados-flagged, U.S.-owned cargo ship off the port of Aden in southern Yemen was reported by a nearby vessel, British security firm Ambrey said on Wednesday.The ship, located approximately 57 nautical miles southwest of Aden, was hailed by an entity declaring itself to be the "Yemeni Navy" and ordered to alter course, Ambrey said.Vessels in the vicinity reported a loud bang and a large plume of smoke, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said.Houthi militants in Yemen have launched drone and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea…

06 Mar 2024

Two Dead in First Fatal Houthi Attack on Red Sea Shipping

© Robert / Adobe Stock

Two seafarers were killed in a Houthi missile attack on a Red Sea merchant ship on Wednesday, British and U.S. officials said, the first fatalities reported since the Iran-aligned Yemeni group began strikes against shipping in one of the world's busiest sea lanes.The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, which set the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged ship True Confidence ablaze around 50 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen's port of Aden.In a statement on X directly responding to the Houthi claim, Britain's embassy wrote: "At least 2 innocent sailors have died.

06 Mar 2024

Three Killed in Houthi Attack On Greek-owned Ship

(Photo: U.S. Central Command)

A Houthi missile attack killed three seafarers on a Red Sea merchant ship on Wednesday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said, the first fatalities reported since the Iran-aligned Yemeni group began strikes against shipping in one of the world's busiest trade lanes.The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, which set the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged ship True Confidence ablaze around 50 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen's port of Aden.In an earlier message on X responding to the Houthi claim, Britain's embassy wrote: "At least 2 innocent sailors have died.